Letter to the Editor: Reversing clean water rules could mean more pollution
Children Kids learn about the water cycle in fifth grade science class and understand that pollutants spilled into wetlands or small streams can accumulate in great quantities in our most treasured water bodies like the Everglades.
Sadly, Andrew Wheeler, who as administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency is supposed to be protecting our air and water, has argued, in his Jan. 27 online op-ed, “Trump administration’s WOTUS definition ends decades of confusion, federal overreach”, Jan. 27) that gutting protections for these crucial water bodies is in our nation’s interest.
Wheeler’s harmful new [Waters of the U.S. Rule, also known as the] Dirty Water Rule, removes legally mandated and scientifically critical federal requirements preventing unregulated pollution and destruction of streams, wetlands, lakes and other waters.
These waters filter pollution, serve as nurseries for fish, act as natural flood barriers, and feed tens of millions of people’s drinking water supplies.
Wheeler maintains his agency doesn’t even know what the impact of this scheme will be on water quality or on our economy, that relies so heavily on clean water.
That ignorance is reason enough not to roll back these protections.
It’s reckless just to hope that the EPA can gut decades-old legal protections for our waterways without causing serious harm to the majestic water bodies on which we all depend.
The only certainty from this cynical ploy is that polluters would get a free pass — and Americans aren’t going to stand for it.
Jon Devine,
senior attorney and director of federal water policy,
nature program,
Natural Resources Defense Council,
Washington, D.C.
